Durban Cardinal Wilfrid Napier has expressed "shock and regret" that the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual leader and head of its self proclaimed government-in-exile, was denied a visa to attend a peace conference in South Africa.
"Having hosted the Dalai Lama in Durban some years ago, I express my shock and regret at the denial of his visa. I am concerned that this man of peace is not allowed into our country at this time when we need people of peace to inspire us," Cardinal Napier said on Monday, AllAfrica reports.
"I'm very concerned that our rights to association, freedom of religion and freedom of expression have been sold out to economic and political expedience once again," he said.
South Africa denied the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism a visa to attend the conference allegedly because of pressure from China, one of the country's key trading partners. China is opposed to the independence of Tibet, which the Dalai Lama supports.
The government decision has caused an international outcry, with several Nobel laureates threatening to boycott the conference in Johannesburg, which has been organised to highlight the first World Cup to be held in Africa in 2010.
Ekklesia reports the peace conference for Nobel laureates was called off by organisers to protest the Dalai Lama visa ban.
Retired Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, described the decision to bar the Dalai Lama as "disgraceful".
A spokesperson for the Dalai Lama told AFP news agency he was "very disappointed" and accused South Africa of succumbing to "intense pressure" from China.
SOURCE
South African cardinal expresses shock after Dalai Lama denied visa (Catholic News Service)
South Africa: Cardinal Faults Dalai Lama Visa Denial (AllAfrica)
South African anti-racism conference postponed over Dalai Lama row (Ekklesia)
LINKS
Dalai Lama (Wikipedia)
Cardinal Wilfrid Napier (Wikipedia)